Role of renewable energy

Renewable energy and wind energy in particular involves very low emissions of greenhouse gases and using it doesn’t have an ongoing negative impact on life in the future.

Wind power can make an important contribution to Ireland’s energy policy objectives of securing diverse and sustainable supplies of energy at competitive prices.

Last December, Energia connected four new windfarms at Long Mountain (27 megawatts (MWs)), Glenbuck (9MWs), Gortfinbar (15MWs) and Eshmore (7MWs) and these have now started supplying power to homes and businesses throughout Ireland.

“Together with our 95MW windfarm at Meenadreen in south Donegal, we have added 153MW of new green energy capacity to the energy network on the island of Ireland since September,” says Peter Baillie, MD of Energia Renewables.

“As a result, Ireland’s carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced by 145,000 tonnes each year.”

Energia Renewables is among Ireland’s leading providers of sustainable green energy and 25% of Ireland’s wind power is provided through Energia to homes and businesses.

The company currently supplies over 800MWs of renewable energy. This will rise to over 1,000MWs by mid2017 with over 200MWs of projects presently in development.

“Since 2008 Energia has invested over €300m in developing new windfarms. The total number of turbines erected by the team is now 124,” says Bailie.

“This work is already helping the island of Ireland to reach its 2020 targets. The 800MWs of renewable energy we supply is enough to power half a million homes.”